The Turn X

The Story

The “Turn-X” Gundam was the very first model kit that I have ever had. The earliest memory is that it was sitting on a fancy metal chair with golden, skeletal legs that grandparents had on their house. I was my understanding that it was a present from my dear uncle Jeff but according to my calculations he would be about 16-years-old at the time, which wouldn’t make any sense since he was for sure saving his money to go to the US. So there I was, a six-something-year-old kid who had a sweet “High Grade” kit and all the time in the world.

The Verdict

This kit is probably one of the most unique Gundams out there. The one pictured above was I believe the very same kit that I had back then. This kit is definitely not perfect as the right particle cannon/claw is not articulated as well as not having the right color. However, if you put in the time and effort to give it the right paint, decals and weathering, it would look great on your shelf for sure. This Gundam would probably cost you about $60 in Amazon or other online shops but try to go around local model kit stores and see if they have them. Going to local stores usually gives you better prices. You can also import it from online hobby stores like this one here. You can find this particular kit extremely cheap but I have not imported a Gundam kit before so it may cost more.

Hello! Today, I will be starting a new series called “Gundam Thursdays” where I talk all about out favorite mobile suits and randomly-related items. Today, I will be sharing you a video that I have seen a long time ago and is my go-to for Gundam-weathering instructions. They also showed how to make a simple diorama for your Gundam to stand on. As a full disclaimer, I did not make this video. I believe that this is an official video by Bandai that was realeased quite some time ago. I am merely passing the information around. Now, without further ado, please enjoy the video!

So, Arin Hanson also known as “Egoraptor” talked about his love of miniatures today on an episode of Game Grumps! I was super excited when he mentioned the Bandai Mega Man figures because I use to have one of those when I was a kid! He also talked about his viewpoint on miniature-making and it was pretty interesting. I love Arin even more now because of this!

Here is the actual video:

This particular model kit from Metal Earth surpassed expectations and is incredibly rewarding to make.

The quality of the metal that was used for the kit was sufficient. It can be easily bent into place or position however it is quite brittle. You can probably bend the tiny parts twice at most before they break; so make sure you build them with care. This kit will definitely make you break a sweat especially if you want to use every part. It also came with its own stand which is essential and awesome.

This kit can be a nightmare to build without the right tools. People with big hands and fingers may get frustrated trying to put this thing together since the parts are quite small. The details that are in this kit are surprisingly intricate; and comparing it to it’s full scale counterpart, it is quite the resemblance.

Overall, this kit was great. The details on the kit surpassed expectations and will give amateur hobbyists a much needed headache.

If you ever bought a Metal Earth, please tell me about it in the comments and share this review to someone who hasn’t!

Today is the final entry for my build log of the Metal Earth: Drum Set. I have decided to make a video highlighting the final steps of the build; Check it out:

Here is the finished product:

Final product of the “Metal Earth: Drum Set” model kit. Oct. 22, 2016

The overall build wasn’t that bad considering there are a lot of missing parts. Thanks for keeping up with all the build logs! If you like this type of content, share it with your friends! Comment if you have any complaints and wait for my review of the product itself! Thanks everyone!

Greetings readers! I’m back for the new “Review-In-Progress” series of this blog! Today we will be continuing on the Metal Earth Drum Set! This time is for the snare drum!

The snare drum part of the this kit is weirdly hard to assemble. Like always I used the “marker mold” technique to form the snare drum just like any of the tom.

Completed Metal Earth snare drum. Oct. 20, 2016

Placing the header of the snare was the easiest part of this section because like any header in this kit you just simply plop it on top and secure it.

The snare header still in the mold. Oct. 20, 2016

Snare drum body (bottom) and header (top) Oct. 20, 2016

Snare drum body (bottom) and header (top) Oct. 20, 2016

The snare rim follow the same procedure as the headers; just plop it on and secure it. However, be careful about bending the four tiny pieces that points up to secure the snare rim. They tend to break after only a few bends, so make sure to not make any mistakes.

The snare drum rim that goes on top of the snare. Oct. 20, 2016.

Snare drum rim installed. Oct. 20, 2016.

This part of the build is the first piece to use the stands. They are a pain to put on! First, two of the stands have to be combined together to form the feet for the snare drum. Once you have done that, you have to lodge it to the bottom base of the snare drum. I tried to secure the feet on the bottom by bending four teeth that is used to go in the base but, no bueno seniores…

Snare drum stand installed (without super glue) Oct. 20, 2016

Snare drum stand installed (without super glue) Oct. 20, 2016

Finally, I just gave up and super glued the dang thing… I am sorry that I have failed you, my fellow readers. Now that I have used the super glue, I gotta say that this is essential to this build if you are easily frustrated because it would save you a lot of them!

Snare drum stand installed (with super glue) Oct. 20, 2016.

Well, that is it for “Review-In-Progress!” I hope you guys liked it. I will probably be doing more of this series for the blog in the future. If you like the content, please share it with your friends and comment if you have a complaint! Thanks and goodbye!

Today, I will be tackling the rest of the bass drum and the floor tom part of the Metal Earth: Drum Set model kit!

The bass drum only need the stand that goes in the front so I didn’t have as much trouble as I did. Like I said before, these Metal Earth kits takes time and patience because the sheets are so finicky and fragile; one wrong move could easily ruin your build.

I finally figured out how to put those metal bands for aesthetics on the drums; however, I opted to not put them at all because it is just a pain. Maybe I will put them on late when I have all the pieces together. To be honest, I prefer not to have them on.

The aesthetic band that goes around the perimeter of the bass drum. Oct. 19, 2016

The floor tom was probably the easiest part I have done in this kit so far. My experience from the previous parts definitely helped when assembling the rest; you learn as you go.

Floor tom finished (without aesthetic band). Oct. 19, 2016

Again, a permanent marker helped a lot on forming the cylindrical shape of the floor tom body. I used a slightly larger marker to shape it and it worked perfectly. Thanks Sharpie! Give me money! Just kidding, but all kidding aside use this technique when building this kit. It is a life saver!

Forming the floor tom using a permanent marker. Oct, 19 2016.

I elected to forgo the aesthetic band here as well to save time and frustrations. It breaks my heart but, I have to do my math homework!

Anyway, if you like to see the rest of the review process of Metal Earth, stay tuned on this blog! If you want to tell me I suck, just send me an email through the “Contacts” tab or comment! If you like this kind of stuff, please stick around for more!

I have never tried a Metal Earth kit in my life. I’ve always thought they looked very cool but I tend to stay away from them because they look difficult. Well, I my aunt got me one for my birthday. Little did I know that these metal sheets were a nightmare to build! Today, I will take you to the first part of my build with a Metal Earth kit and how did it go.

The first concern with this build that I had was that working with the flimsy parts. Getting them out of the mold was a nightmare without bending them. You must use some kind of cutting tool, perhaps scissors or the recommended Metal Earth cutters that is sold separately.

Other thing you have to know is that with this particular kit you have to shape the toms sheets into cylinders yourself which isn’t too much problem for me. I just shaped them using markers that I have laying around.

You can see some metals that are sticking out from the perimeter of the toms; those are essential and extremely fragile. Careful not to bend them until you are certain with final position. It also doesn’t help that I have sausage fingers. After a lot of patience, I finished the toms. I have to admit, even though I broke some of the cosmetic parts of the toms, they still look good. Sorry of the pictures being out of focus, I was trying to capture the moment as it happens!

Hello Everyone,

Just in case you didn’t know (or have not read my “about” section), I live in the Bay Area and I have put together a map that has destinations that are can be essential to your model-making if you live here! These are just some of the places that I either visited or want to visit. Remember, this blog is all about you and me sharing the world of miniatures; and If you have visited the place that I have not, please tell me about it by commenting or email. I also took the time to take some pictures; so you better be grateful! I’m just playing around. Check out the Google Map down below:

If you like this map, please share it to your model-making, diorama-drafting, and artsy-fart-sy friends! Also leave a comment if there is anything you want me to know like how to improve the blog or just to tell me if I suck! Thanks!

For my very first post, I will be giving you diorama-making tips for beginners.

Model making is very old hobby. For decades, the childhood of many architects, prop-makers and plenty of others have been occupied by this magnificent past time. However, for some it is not just enough to put together and paint a plastic kit of a Panzer tank; they need put it somewhere to display it on.

Today, I will be giving tips on how to make your own diorama. This is aimed towards beginners who don’t really know much about creating their them or how to even begin to. I am not an expert, in fact I’m an amateur at best, but even if just one person learned something, then I think it is worth sharing. Let’s get started:

Garage Sales and Estate Sales are Your Friend!

This is probably the most important tip that one diorama maker can give to another. Garage sales and Estate sales can have treasures for beginner diorama enthusiast. You can find all sorts of knick-knacks, random toys and even actual model kits that you can use for your diorama!

Unwanted model trains (and train tracks) can often be found in these sales as well small scale houses for dirt prices. Even if they are damaged, these are great scores because making your own scale model house can be a pain. You are better off buying them. Plus if they are broken, you can make a war zone diorama!

2. Be as Resourceful as You are Creative!

Nowadays, most people have little to no money and buying materials can be expensive. Okay, some things may not be as expensive as you think but they can still add up to a hefty amount. So, you need to be creative! Look for unused objects around the house that you can use to create props on your diorama.

For example, a discarded toothpaste cap with a particular design (like the one below) can be used as a toilet! Just open it up, glue it down, and voila you got a free toilet! I just saved you $5! It may not be realistic, but hey, you get the idea.

You can also use the power of nature to your advantage! Pick up small rocks that you can use to complement your diorama. Just be careful and check environmental regulations in your area on what you can and can’t take from your nature walks.

YouTube EVERYTHING!

Okay, so you got your materials already but you have no idea on what to make and how to make it? Solution: YouTube it! There are a lot of experts out there that make diorama build videos and watching them can inspire as well as tech you on how to do certain things. Unlike me who haven’t showed you how to do anything but that’s for another story!

Here is a favorite video of mine from Tabletop Minions on how to create miniature bricks! You may not be able to put details on it like clay-made bricks but they are more efficient and faster to make!

You can learn everything from YouTube! From painting, to weathering techniques as well as scenario ideas; there will be a video for your needs. Those videos are there for you to use; so, do not be afraid to get inspirations from others. You are a beginner after all!

So there you go! Just a few tips to help your diorama-making hobby started! I hope you are inspired in some way and if you didn’t pick up anything; well, it’s worth a try. If you have any tips yourself, please leave it on the comments below.